Classes resume after weapons, body found in UCF dorm

12:55 PM, March 18, 2013

Various police agencies are seen during an investigation at the University of Central Florida after explosive devices were found by authorities investigating the apparent suicide of a college student in the dorm. / John Raoux / Associated Press

By Natalie DiBlasio and John Bacon

USA TODAY

University of Central Florida students wait outside the college sports arena after explosive devices were found in a nearby dorm. / John Raoux / Associated Press

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Explosive devices were removed from a dorm room and classes resumed at the University of Central Florida on Monday, hours after the body of a student who apparently committed suicide was found in the room.

"Obviously you never want somebody to commit suicide, but knowing what we know about what was in his room, we feel better at least that no one else was hurt," UCF spokesman Grant Heston said.

University police were called to the dorm around 12:20 a.m. Monday after a fire alarm went off, Heston said. While they were en route, a 911 call came in about a man with a gun.

The explosive devices were found inside a bag in the dorm room, Heston said. An assault weapon and another gun also were found.

The Orange County bomb squad, police and the FBI removed the devices from Tower 1, a residence hall for about 500 students. Students were evacuated and a parking garage was closed. Both remained evacuated Monday afternoon.

Jasmine Derrick, 19, a freshman from Atlanta, said she was studying for a chemistry exam in a lounge across from Tower 1 when a police officer ordered them to evacuate.

"There were police everywhere, students out there half dressed, no shoes, in the cold," Derrick said. A few hours later, by searching social media and watching the UCF website, she learned the details of what happened.

"Its' terrifying, it's sad," Derrick said. "This is devastating for a parent, to have to bury child."

Simone Hawkins, 19, a freshman psychology major from Chicago, was unable to return to her dorm room after studying early Monday morning because Tower II was in lockdown. She said it took two hours before the school's alert system began providing information to students.

"I feel like they they should have given us more information sooner," she said. "The only way people found out anything was through social media, which can't always be trusted. I just feel it could have been handled a lot differently."

Grant Hernandez, 20, a sophomore from Orlando and a resident at the dorm, said he woke up sometime after midnight when police were evacuating the building.

"All we saw were people running, and they were not telling us what was going on," he added. "We were left unsure of things. It wasn't till about 6 o'clock that we got more information and a clearer picture of what was going on."